CMS Proposed Adoption of Updated Life Safety Code – Last week CMS published a proposed rule to amend the fire safety standards for certain Medicare facilities and to adopt the 2012 edition of the Life Safety Code. In a Fact Sheet summarizing the changes presented in the proposed rule, CMS states the new editions of the LSC "would reduce burden on health care providers . . . and would make compliance across codes much simpler for Medicare and Medicaid-participating facilities." Comments to the proposed rule must be received no later than 5 p.m. on June 16, 2014.

Grassley Announces FCA Whistleblower Protection Caucus – On April 10, 2014, Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) announced the formation of the Senate Whistleblower Protection Caucus. In a press release, Grassley stated that his goal is to "build a coalition of like-minded Senators who can help bring attention to the need for ongoing whistleblower protections." The full press release is available here.

CMS Releases Data from Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities on Hospital Compare Website – On April 17, 2014, CMS announced that quality data for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs) will be available on the Hospital Compare website. The site will display data on specific IPFs' hours of physical restraint use; hours of seclusion use; creation of post-discharge continuing care plans; and whether post-discharge continuing care plans are transmitted to subsequent providers upon discharge. The Hospital Compare website is available here. Visitors to the site may search by facility name or zip code.